The Insomniac Games backlash

simonp92

I'm sure allot of Longterm Playstation users felt very betrayed when Ted Price took the stage at Microsofts E3 press conference and announced that Sunset Overdrive would be exclusive to the XBOX ONE.

For those of you that may not know it, Insomniac are responsible for such franchises as Spyro the Dragon, Ratchet & Clank and Resistance, all of which were SONY platform exclusives.

The game Sunset Overdrive has received almost zero press, and it seems that most gamers looking to buy an XBOX ONE shows little intrest in the game. However Insomniac's loyal fans seems to be sharpening their pitchforks, as seen by the comments left on Insomniac Games' official site

There's two big problems here. 1. Insomniac games' CEO Ted Price stated back in 2010 that they were going multiplatform in order to "broaden their audience" and be more independent. A very reasonable arguement allot would say. The problem is that since they're now going exclusive on the XBOX ONE, they're obviously contradicting their previous statement, and thus angrying their old fans.

2- They're developing an exclusive for the XBOX ONE. A console which right now looks to be most anti-consumer console ever made. Here's what Insomiac said about the Microsoft's new console and Sunset Overdrive:

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When we first began discussing this idea with Microsoft, we were initially hesitant to shift back into an exclusive arrangement. But as the Microsoft team began introducing us to the abilities and philosophies driving the development of Xbox One, we knew that Sunset Overdrive was a perfect fit.

And again fans are angry, allot people seems to think a more honest approach would have been key. Simply telling the fans that Microsoft gave Insomniac money for the exclusive IP. Allot of fans point out that everything points towards the PS4 being more powerfull, thus it would be entirely possible to make Sunset Overdrive on the PS4. Allot still remains to be seen whetner that is actually true. Some would argue that the reason Insomniac need the XBOX ONE for Sunset Overdrive is because of the "Always on"- compoment which gives them freedom to change things during the game, like Ted Price stated during the Microsoft press conference:

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Sunset Overdrive is an always changing, open-world shooter set in the not-so-distant future.

What do you think of Insomniac's deal with Microsoft? Will Insomiac actually benefit from developing an exclusive game for the XBOX ONEDid they take the money to keep their head above water, or is Sunset Overdrive simply only possible on the XBOX ONE? Discuss.

Zirvlok

I honestly felt bask-stabbed when I heard abpout this. I really couldn't believe it. I played all their Spyro games, their Ratchet & Clank games, and their Resistance games. They were one of my favorite developers. I can only imagine them doing this because they probably needed the money, but still. Surely they're aware that the vast majority of their fanbase is on Playstation, and doing this, without proper explaination, seems almost insulting as a fan of their franchises. I'm hoping they get good money from this game though, and are able to get back with Sony after this (Multiplatform is fine with me).

Moth

I must admit im sure these are the same fans that didn't blink an eyelid when it was the other way round.

Well yeah. Insomniac has always been a Second party dev for sony. From Spyro to Ratchet and Clank and Resistance. And the only game they have produced that is multiplatform, FUSE, is a massive disappointment for Insomniac fans. Insomniac has made it's fanbase on Sony consoles, and that's where most of, if not all of their fanbase lies.

Hell, think of a PC dev deciding to become a console exclusive dev. Same deal here.

OysterBarron

Well my main thoughts on it are that if infact you are one of the greatest fans of the company and games it produces you would do your upmost to grab a console that they have moved to i know i would if i just had to have that certain game. At the end of the day no sort of backlash is going to achieve anything, the deal is done money has obviously changed hands and contracts signed you either move on or sit and threat about it!

Moth

Well my main thoughts on it are that if infact you are one of the greatest fans of the company and games it produces you would do your upmost to grab a console that they have moved to i know i would if i just had to have that certain game. At the end of the day no sort of backlash is going to achieve anything, the deal is done money has obviously changed hands and contracts signed you either move on or sit and threat about it!

And chances are, some will. But the biggest problem is that the Xboner has some of the worst anti consumer crap on it, it makes people second guess Insomniac's decision. As they should. Anyone who buys the damn thing, is pretty much allowing MS to rape them with their boner.

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Bungie have Fans on the Xbox but Xbox fans feel betrayed to see Destiny getting exclusive content for the PS4

You know that isn't the same thing. Destiny is still coming out on the Xbone. This game on the other hand, is an Xbone exclusive.

Well my main thoughts on it are that if infact you are one of the greatest fans of the company and games it produces you would do your upmost to grab a console that they have moved to i know i would if i just had to have that certain game. At the end of the day no sort of backlash is going to achieve anything, the deal is done money has obviously changed hands and contracts signed you either move on or sit and threat about it!

And chances are, some will. But the biggest problem is that the Xboner has some of the worst anti consumer crap on it, it makes people second guess Insomniac's decision. As they should. Anyone who buys the damn thing, is pretty much allowing MS to rape them with their boner.

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Bungie have Fans on the Xbox but Xbox fans feel betrayed to see Destiny getting exclusive content for the PS4

You know that isn't the same thing. Destiny is still coming out on the Xbone. This game on the other hand, is an Xbone exclusive.

I can see what you're saying but it could work the other way around. Insomniacs reason for making this game exclusive to xbox one was because when microsoft first approached them and explained the route they were taking with xbox one the game pretty much fitted the bill on what insomniac had in mind. You could also say that insomniac is a much respected company and fans should maybe trust there judgement.

Is it confirmed that they are an exclusive microsoft dev because I thought it was only this one game that was exclusive.?

Moth

Insomniacs reason for making this game exclusive to xbox one was because when microsoft first approached them and explained the route they were taking with xbox one the game pretty much fitted the bill on what insomniac had in mind.

Chances are, the only reason why they have gone exclusive with this game, is cause MS gave them a lot of money. They can not publicly state that fact, so they give us all of this BS.

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You could also say that insomniac is a much respected company and fans should maybe trust there judgement.

Insomniac, in my eyes, was respected until recently. FUSE and the last two Ratchet and Clanks, pretty much are sh*t.

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Is it confirmed that they are an exclusive microsoft dev because I thought it was only this one game that was exclusive.?

acmilano

Last two Resistance game were less accepted than first (i played all three btw). This game also doesn't look that impressive compared to other open world games coming this year (V, Assassin s creed 4, Saints Row 4, Watch Dogs). I wish them luck, they just try to survive in harsh competition. Best thing they could do is take the ms money and become really multiplatform with some good publisher like T2 before EA or Activision swallow them.

Ibrahimhassounah

Last two Resistance game were less accepted than first (i played all three btw). This game also doesn't look that impressive compared to other open world games coming this year (V, Assassin s creed 4, Saints Row 4, Watch Dogs). I wish them luck, they just try to survive in harsh competition. Best thing they could do is take the ms money and become really multiplatform with some good publisher like T2 before EA or Activision swallow them.

Mr Rabbit

IMO Insomniac have gone downhill:• first 3 spyro games were great, loved them, then all spyro games after that were sh*t imo• first ratchet and clank was amazing, didi not like the ones that followed at all, well I liked parts of 2• first resistance game was good and resistance 2 was the worst game i have played this generation, so bad I did not even want to try 3, and that is f*cking rare, a game being so bad that it makes me give up on the story, nay a franchise like that, only other game to do that this gen was modern warfare 2.

Now people can try and say "well Nate you just don't like shooters" oh you ignorant little bastards stick your balls up your arse and clench yourself castrated! I was into shooters while you were sucking on Wiimotes, you cover-loving, health-regenerating, murderer come-latelies; you don't even know what a shooter is! A shooter is fast-paced, circle-strafing, wits about you, rocket jumping, last grasp of health, toodly f*ckpies, organic excitement in a fancy hat! It is not riding a conveyor belt to the next chest-high wall and resting your head on it until you get lulled into a lovely little sleep by the other people's gunfire.

Sorry i seem to have got a little side-tracked there, what was the point of this? *scrolls up* ah yes Insomniac's XB1 game, well in my experience they make the first game great, so expect this game to be good, then they make it into a franchise and royally f*ck it up, and with each major franchise the time taken to go from good to sh*t decreases• Spyro - 3 games• R+C - 1.5 games• Resistance - 1 game, and that was only good cos the multi-player was excellent imo, the single-player was lack-luster except for co-op, that was rather fun to do with my cousin

So in summation I am fine with insomniac going to microsoft, but I don't think it will last, for the same reason nobody develops for the commodore 64 anymore, actually no that's not a fair comparison, ok for the same reason that many companies don't bother with Wii U versions. To be honest I think this is a mistake for them, selling to the less popular platform exclusively is a really dumb idea but it's their funeral

PS (not PlayStation) most of the rant part of this is made in humour before some fool declares me a pissed off fan boy, hence why I quoted Zero punctuation

simonp92

IMO Insomniac have gone downhill:• first 3 spyro games were great, loved them, then all spyro games after that were sh*t imo• first ratchet and clank was amazing, didi not like the ones that followed at all, well I liked parts of 2• first resistance game was good and resistance 2 was the worst game i have played this generation, so bad I did not even want to try 3, and that is f*cking rare, a game being so bad that it makes me give up on the story, nay a franchise like that, only other game to do that this gen was modern warfare 2.

Now people can try and say "well Nate you just don't like shooters" oh you ignorant little bastards stick your balls up your arse and clench yourself castrated! I was into shooters while you were sucking on Wiimotes, you cover-loving, health-regenerating, murderer come-latelies; you don't even know what a shooter is! A shooter is fast-paced, circle-strafing, wits about you, rocket jumping, last grasp of health, toodly f*ckpies, organic excitement in a fancy hat! It is not riding a conveyor belt to the next chest-high wall and resting your head on it until you get lulled into a lovely little sleep by the other people's gunfire.

Sorry i seem to have got a little side-tracked there, what was the point of this? *scrolls up* ah yes Insomniac's XB1 game, well in my experience they make the first game great, so expect this game to be good, then they make it into a franchise and royally f*ck it up, and with each major franchise the time taken to go from good to sh*t decreases• Spyro - 3 games• R+C - 1.5 games• Resistance - 1 game, and that was only good cos the multi-player was excellent imo, the single-player was lack-luster except for co-op, that was rather fun to do with my cousin

So in summation I am fine with insomniac going to microsoft, but I don't think it will last, for the same reason nobody develops for the commodore 64 anymore, actually no that's not a fair comparison, ok for the same reason that many companies don't bother with Wii U versions. To be honest I think this is a mistake for them, selling to the less popular platform exclusively is a really dumb idea but it's their funeral

PS (not PlayStation) most of the rant part of this is made in humour before some fool declares me a pissed off fan boy, hence why I quoted Zero punctuation

This could potentially be their funeral. If only 20% of the hardcore gamers buy a XB1 Sunset Overdrive is gonna have a though time.

I also think you're right about IG getting worse recently. Personally I do not think they've made a truely good game sine 2009 with R&C A Crack in Time.

Woody112

It's hard for me to really care when Insomniac haven't made a good game since the PS2 Ratchet and Clank titles. That being said, I can't exactly imagine they wowed 360 owners with FUSE, so why they would decide to abandon their dedicated fan base is beyond me.

Otter

At this point in time, any game developer creating an exclusive for the Xbox One may as well just start handing out copies to homeless people.

I can't wait to see the sales figures for multiplatform games PS4 vs Xbox One.

I wish the market were so predictable. But as we've seen, time and time before, I doubt the fumbling of the Xbone reveal is going to hurt it's sales by a significant margin. The only sticking point, really, is the $100 extra cost, which they have to start justifying hard before launch.

Brand loyalty is an incredibly powerful factor. It'll take more than bad PR to shake the Microsoft fans.